The wait is finally over! On Saturday, I will have my first experience with a Wagnerian opera when I attend the Met HD broadcast of Robert Lepage's new production of Das Rheingold. This is no small feat for me as I am just beginning my personal journey into the world of opera; I decided if I was going to play these wonderful arias, I should probably know the stories they come from and begin experiencing the works as a whole.
If you are like me, you know that Rheingold is part of Wagner's Ring Cycle and that it makes use of the leitmotif. Beyond that, I am a little lost. Listening to excerpts of the opera is difficult. Getting the plot straight is a herculean effort. I'm really hoping that the costuming will help me separate the gods from the giants and Nibelung dwarfs!
As part of my preparation for Saturday's production, I am committing to doing some reading daily on Wagner and the opera. So far, the most valuable resources I have found are the program note and plot synopsis at the Metropolitan Opera's website. Do you have any suggestions for things I should take a look at before heading to the "opera" on Saturday? Please no negative comments.....I'm still gathering my courage to dive into the somewhat intimidating world of Wagner.
No comments:
Post a Comment